Improvement in pianos



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

FRAZEE B. MCGREGOR, OF PONTIAC, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND GEORGE A. HOYT, OF SAl\:IE PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PIANOS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 82,428, dated September 22,1868; antedated September 14, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRnzEE B. McGREGon, of Pontiac, in the county of Oakland, and in the State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pianos; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

In the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, A represents the rectangular frame or body ot' a piano or other musical instrument, and C G represent the usual horizontal levers, with hammers at one end and keys at the other. Underneath these levers C C are adjusted, in any convenient or suitable manner, horizontal diagonal bars D D, called couplers, running diagonally each way from the middle of the finger-board in front to about the middle of the levers O C, embracing them right and left by octaves, for the purpose of giving power and increasing the volume of sound of the instrument when the same may be desired. One performer, by means of the couplers D D, operated or raised by the horizontal parallel bars c c, in combination with an ordinary pedal, can fill as large space, or make as heavy and loud music, as two performers could make on the same instrument without them.

The parallel horizontal bars c o are suspended between and attached to the parallel bars g g by means of the adjustable elbows e e, and are *raised or lowered by means ot' the common pedal, adjusted to the extremity of the elbow-levers d d, as seen in Fig. 3, the other end pushing back the lower horizontal bars e c, thereby straightening the elbows e e, and thus raising the upper' horizontal bars c c, which, in turn, elevate the couplers D D, and, they being pressed upward against the keys or levers O O, couple them together to the right or left, or both ways, by octaves, the entire length ofthe key-board, as may be desired.

The elbow-levers d d are brought back to their normal position by means ot' the elastic cords x m, attached to their upper extremity at one end and to the bars g g at the other, and thereby the bars c c and couplers D D fall away from and uncouple the keys or levers C C. t

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of the couplers D D, horizontal bars C O, placed one above the other, with the elbows c c and levers d d, so that when the pedal raises the levers the upper bar is raised against the couplers, parallel, and raises the coupler against the keys, coupling them together the entire length of the key-board, right or left, or both, as herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of November, 1867.

FRAZEE B. MCGREGOR.

lvitnesses I A. W. BURTT, E. M. BEEBE. 

